iMath

Matt Sherwood, isurewould@gmail.com Denise Henry, densekhenry@comcast.net = =

=Spin-Out! = =A COMETeer Creation =

Instructional Objective
The aim of this game is to reinforce math concepts as defined in the California state standards for fourth, fifth, and sixth grades. These concepts include place value, money, time, basic operations, algebra, geometry, fractions, measurement, and math vocabulary. Furthermore, the game intends to foster an ability to solve realistic math problems using common sense and mental math strategies. The question cards are correlated to the California content standards and present content tested in California's standardized tests. Furthermore, the question cards can be customized to go along with any unit of instruction.

Learners & Context of Use
Spin Out's content is accessible to a wide range of students. Players in grades 4-6 can practice content that is (relatively) fresh in their minds. Players in higher grade levels whose math skills are below grade level find challenge in the questions as well. Suggestions for implementation include mathematics practice, reinforcement, remediation, and to provide the teacher with observational assessment of student's skills. Spin Out is an appropriate activity for classrooms, extended learning programs, and home play. If the implementer's goal is for students to practice content individually, then players in groups no larger than four is recommended. Cooperative learning is achieved through dividing large groups of students into teams who work together to answer questions. Players may use mental math strategies or use pencil and paper to work out solutions.

Competing Products
A search of [|Educational Learning Games'] yields numerous games that provide skill development/practice in one specific mathematical concept such as multiplication or integers. A few games, such as bingo or jeopardy, exist whose questions contain a "potpourri" of question topics. It appears that Spin Out! intends to cover a broader range of concepts than most. It is difficult to make the judgment concerning the "better" game since the games' objectives are not parallel. Intuition leads one to believe that a commercially produced game with a lengthier development time line will generate a "better" game. Spin Out! can be modified by users who wish to create their own questions or assign the task to students which lends a dimension that is not included with any game that research can locate. This lends a uniqueness to Spin Out and increases its value.

**Object of the Game**
 The object of the game is to collect a greater number of Tire Points and reach the Freedom star before opponents. All players begin at the Start circle. Players take turns answering questions and earn or lose Tire Points based on responses. Each question answered correctly earns the player a Tire, and an opportunity to advance on the next turn. Each wrong question looses players a Tire and threatens to stall them from advancing further.

Content Analysis
 A content analysis of the game's components guided the design and development of the project. Please click on the link to view the Content Analysis.

Game Materials

 * Spin Out! game board
 * Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple question cards,
 * Spinner
 * Pawns
 * Tire Points

Rules
The game's rules follow or are available as a downloadable document.
 * OBJECT** To be the first person with the most Tire Points to move your pawn from the Start circle to the Freedom star.

**EQUIPMENT**

 * Spin Out! game board
 * Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple question cards
 * Spinner
 * Pawns
 * Tire Points

**SETUP**

 * 1) Choose one pawn and place on start circle.
 * 2) Place question cards on the game board.
 * 3) Match the question color with the rectangle on the board (yellow on yellow, green on green, and so on).
 * 4) Fold the question cards so that you only see the picture, not the question.
 * 5) Each player takes four Tire Points.
 * 6) Put the extra Tire Points in a pile on the table.

**GAME PLAY**

 * 1) The youngest player goes first and then continues in a clockwise motion.
 * 2) Spin the spinner and then move to the closest color that matches the color the spinner lands on.
 * 3) The player sitting on the right of the person who just spun:
 * 4) Takes the top card from the matching color
 * 5) Asks the question
 * 6) Makes sure that the player takes no more than two minutes to answer
 * 7) Checks the answer
 * 8) If you answer the question correctly, stay on that spot and take two Tire Points from the pile.
 * 9) If you get the answer wrong, put one Tire Point in the pile.
 * 10) Play continues with the person on the right.

**BONUS TIRE POINTS**
If it is not your turn you can earn one Tire Point by showing the correct written answer on a piece of paper to the person who asked the question. You must show the correct answer before the person who just spun gives their answer.

**WINNING**
The first player to land on the Freedom star begins the last round of play.
 * 1) Every player spins and answers one more question.
 * 2) The player with the most Tire Points at the end of that round wins the game.
 * 3) In the case of a tie, the player who has advanced the farthest wins.

Time Required
The game is designed for play during one, fifty-minute class period with no carry over to the next class period.

Correlation to Motivational Theory

 * ~ Keller's ARCS Model's Construct ||~ Game Element to Support Construct ||
 * Attention || Colorful appearance, questions designed to hold player's attention ||
 * Relevance || Questions align to math class content and real-life experiences ||
 * Confidence || Questions vary in difficulty, covering California math standards grade 4-6. Increases opportunity for successful response. Players can attempt to answer questions when it is not her/his turn win bonus points. ||
 * Satisfaction || Competitive race to the finish, random opportunity to jump ahead, and academic success ||


 * ~ Lepper and Malone Model's Construct ||~ Game Element to Support Construct ||
 * //Individual// ||  ||
 * Challenge || The players who answer the most questions correctly have the greatest probability of winning the game ||
 * Curiosity || Not represented ||
 * Control || Players are required to use mental math but could use pencil and paper to calculate to alleviate math anxiety ||
 * Fantasy || Not represented ||
 * //Interpersonal// ||  ||
 * Cooperation || Team play option facilitates collaboration ||
 * Competition || Players compete to answer the greatest number of questions correctly and be the first to the finish ||
 * Recognition || The game could be used to create competition within or across classrooms, individuals also recognize their peer's academic success ||

Design Process
Our background knowledge in game design increased through the digestion of in-class lectures and assigned readings. We each completed an independent class assignment to analyze the elements of familiar board games. The pre-design activities helped us to get our "head in the game", enabling us to approach the project with a more informed view of game theory. We also reviewed Internet resources such as blogs and game design research sites. Additionally, we listened to Podcasts that covered topics from game design ideas to interviews with professional game designers who discussed their game production experiences.

For us, the focus of the game is foundational mathematical content. We hoped to cleverly disguise the math content in a fun game. We started with a checkers-like game called Mackers but quickly moved away from that idea. Our next board design required players to move from the origin of a four-coordinate plane through a a spiraling path out of the plane. After meeting with our course instructor, we determined that a more visually appealing board would be one that capitalized on the automotie theme of the game. The final iteration of the game board is a spiriling roadway. Once we settled on a board design the remaining game materials were less challenging to develop.

A playable prototype of the game was tested by students in a mixed grade high school math class. A video portraying student's play testing the game is available at the end of this section. The student's current skill levels cluster around the content standards addressed in the questions. Groups of three students were given a file folder containing the game materials and asked to simply, "play the game". Issues with specific components surfaced in the 1/2 hour play session and are noted below.
 * **Rules** - The rules confused students. Only 1/3 of the groups were able to get started without assistance from another student. The revised version of the rules are contained in this document.
 * **Pawns** - The paper cars did not function as designed. The images were upside-down when folded. The pawns were also too large for the board and overlapped several "lanes" of the game board's path to the finish. They have been redesigned and resized to address these problems.
 * **Questions** - The questions were too wordy for the students, many of whom are not literate in the English language. The original rules did not address the inclusion of the answer on each question which removed the incentive to work out the questions. Simpler questions rewritten by the teacher, or new questions written by students is a way to address this problem.
 * **Visual Appeal** - The students found the game visually appealing and one student described the game as "fun".
 * **Overall Impression of the Game** - Students felt that if the questions were "easier" and the directions were "better" that they would like to play the game again.

The play test led to a new direction for the game as a teaching resource for any subject. A small group of teachers who reviewed the game were receptive to the idea of receiving the game materials with blank question templates that can be customized to any subject area. The group of teachers also discussed creating a student assignment that requires students to create question sets. Our perception of the game as a single-subject resource with a narrow content scope has shifted to a cross-curricular tool for teaching and learning. We intend to refine the game's resources then share the game with our colleagues across both of our school districts.

Spin Out Play Test Video
media type="google" key="-5332040470916671206&hl=en&fs=true" width="400" height="326"

Game Downloads

 * Game Materials - Board, Spinner, Pawns, and Tire Points**


 * Math Question Samples, Content Standards Grade 4-6, MS Word**
 * Math Question Templates**
 * Rules**